Introduction
The
greatest difficulty facing the researcher is the loss of some 60% of soldiers’
service records in 1940, the result of fire damage during the blitz. It is
unfortunate that as a result, one has considerably more chance of finding
records of an ancestor who died than one who survived. There is, however, a wide
range of possible sources in which you may find information which will help in
your research. The following notes summarise in brief the principal sources but
those considering research in this area are recommended to consult one or more
of the books listed at the end of this paper.php
The Medal Rolls

All
who served in a theatre of war during WW1 were entitled to at least two medals.
The Victory Medal and the British War Medal. In addition, those serving at the
outbreak of hostilities were entitled to the 1914 Star and those who enlisted
before the introduction of conscription were entitled to the 1914-1915 Star. In
addition medals were awarded for gallantry. Microfiched copies of record cards
recording each soldier’s awards (in name order) are available at the Public
Record Office (PRO). The information includes the soldier’s regiment and service
number.

Soldiers’ Records
As
stated above, some 60% of records were lost but the remainder have been
microfilmed and are available for consulatation at the PRO in Class WO363.
Records for a small percentage of soldiers who survived the war and were awarded
a pension are also available at the PRO in Class WO364. Content of records
varies but the Attestation Papers will usually include details of age,
birthplace and next of kin as well as a physical description.

Indexes to Soldiers’ Deaths (General Register Office)The
deaths of soldiers who died during hostilities or as a result of their wounds as
late as 1921 should be recorded at the General Register Office. Indexes to these
(separate volumes for officers and other ranks) are available at the Greater
Manchester County Record Office (GMCRO) at Marshall Street. The index will give
the regiment and service number. Certificates can be ordered but give little
more information, beyond the date of death, than the index.

Soldiers Died in the Great WarEighty-one volumes were published in 1921 listing the names and brief details
for each soldier killed. The original books, available on microfilm at
Manchester Central Library (MCL), are organised by regiment and can be difficult
to search. More recently a fully searchable version on CDROM has been published
by Naval & Military Press. Details include Regiment and service number, date and
place of enlistment, date died and theatre of war. A copy of the CD is held by
M&LFHS.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)The
Commission, at Marlow, Buckinghamshire, has published registers of war graves
including personal details of those killed. Copies of these are available at
GMCRO but since they are in cemetery order, are difficult to search.The
Commission have always responded to written enquiries but more recently have
made their registers available on the internet at www.cwgc.org CWCG records will
include regiment and service number, age, date of death and cemetery or war
memorial. In many cases, details of next of kin will be found.

National Roll of the Great WarFollowing the end of the war, a commercial attempt was made to compile a full
list of soldiers who took part but this failed. Several volumes were, however,
published including two for Manchester and Salford respectively. These are now
rare and expensive but the two local volumes are now available on CDs, copies of
which are held by M&LFHS. The entries will include details of regiment and a
brief outline of service including engagements in which the soldier was
involved. Date and place of death are included if relevant and an address for
the soldier or his next of kin is also given.

Local NewspapersAccess to local newspaper accounts is seldom simple as there are few indexes and
searches over long periods can be tedious. If, however, a date of death or award
of a gallantry medal is known, this may narrow the search sufficiently to help
you find an account. Local newspapers are usually available on microfilm at
local studies units.

Memorial Inscriptions
The
memorials on war graves record only name, regiment and service number (though
the CWGC records will provide more details). If the soldier was buried in
England, a more detailed memorial may be found. The CWGC should have records of
soldiers killed in action but buried in English churchyards or municipal
cemeteries. It is not uncommon, however, for a soldier who died overseas to be
recorded on a family memorial and so wider research into the burial places of
other family members can often prove fruitful.

Regimental MuseumsAlthough many museums do not have much information about individual soldiers,
particularly “other ranks”, it is nevertheless worth making an approach. The
Museum of the Manchesters at Ashton-under-Lyne, for example, has a database of
soldiers for this period.

Published Rolls of HonourMany
institutions including regiments, schools/universities and commercial
organisations published rolls of honour of members who fought. Some record only
those who died, others all soldiers. These can be found in libraries and some
record offices.The Manchester City Battalions Roll of Honour was published in
1916 and includes both lists of the soldiers in the 16th to 23rd Battalions of
the Manchester Regiment and rolls of honour published by many Manchester
organisations. The book is now scarce but the regimental lists (and photographs)
have been published on CDROM * by M&LFHS. A second CD of the company listings is
planned.

War MemorialsWar
memorials were established both by local authorities and public/private
organisations. They will seldom contain much information but can identify the
regiment in which an ancestor served. There is no national index and a visit to
the area is usually necessary (though some lists have been published on the
internet).

Useful Reading

Beginners to researching WW1 ancestors may find it useful to do some preparatory
reading. The following titles may be helpful:

My
Ancestor was in the British Army (M. J. & C. T. Watts) Society of Genealogists
Publications

Sources for WW1 Ancestry (Norman Holding) - possibly out of print

More
Sources for WW1 Ancestry (Norman Holding) *

Army
Service Records of the First World War (Simon Fowler) Public Record Office *